To extend and enrich our students within the classroom, we have worked to support teachers' differentiation of learning to best fit each student's learning style and needs. This enrichment process is one of the Enhanced Learning Centre's objectives.
This process includes professional development opportunities, such as:
1. Understanding dyslexia with Neil McKay
2. Differentiating for the gifted student in the classroom with Rosemary Cathcart.
3. Personal best - Building successful Classrooms with Prof. Andrew Martin
Tool: Differentiation strategies
Differentiation strategy
Encourages challenge through
Task
open-ended activities
more complex demands and responses – target-setting
use and application
Outcome
quality of work expected (sometimes this will be ‘amount’ of work)
different assessment criteria
more complex responses
Level of independence/support
removing scaffolding/support to help learning
planning own learning through structured research
use of reference materials/resources
Pace/time
less time to complete simple tasks and more time for self-study
accelerate or compact some part of the curriculum, instead offering depth and breadth
Resource
a wide range of materials at different levels of complexity and style (visual, aural, linear etc)
access to other adults and subject specialists (including academic peer mentors)
By interest
prioritising skill(s) to be developed
self-selected learning activities
Adapted from Eyre, D and Lowe, H eds (2002) Curriculum Provision for the Gifted and Talented in the Secondary School. London: David Fulton Publishers. [chapter 9]
This process includes professional development opportunities, such as:
1. Understanding dyslexia with Neil McKay
2. Differentiating for the gifted student in the classroom with Rosemary Cathcart.
3. Personal best - Building successful Classrooms with Prof. Andrew Martin
Tool: Differentiation strategies